NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
Enjoy the great dynasty run of the Golden State Warriors while you can. In another two seasons, this run will be over. This is not a hate piece but one of truth. What happens when it’s time to hit the reset button?
Think about it. How many Stephen Curry’s are out there? How many Klay Thompson’s are roaming the high school hallways? And how many Draymond Greens are learning the fundamentals at an alarming rate? If they are, what’s the chance that the Warriors will scout and draft all three in the same timeframe and run this dynasty back?
I’m pretty sure Jerry Krause, Jerry Buss, and R.C. Buford all figured they would find someone close to Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, Tim Duncan, David Robinson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant. The sad news is that the world doesn’t work like that.
Players in the gym can shoot but can they shoot like Curry and Thompson? Plenty of players coming up can rebound and dish the ball but can they do that and defend a team’s best players like Green? And can they do it while building a bond that will lead them to 5 NBA finals and 4 rings?
This is the cold hard reality that the Golden State Warriors are facing. The writing is on the wall. They thought they had their heir apparent in Jordan Poole but we see how that went. They drafted James Wiseman to be their big man in the next phase but he was sent to the Detroit Pistons. And here they are left with their core 3 and while they are still dropping buckets and rebounding, they’re also getting older and slower while the rest of the league is getting younger and faster.
What’s Next For The Golden State Warriors
Do they let Thompson walk after this season? Probably not. If you paid Green a new deal, it’s only right that you give Thompson the same respect. As it stands, it seems as if each of those 3 will not play for another team. How will the players behind be equipped to carry the torch when they refuse to give it up?
Winning is great but it also comes with huge consequences. The Warriors are destined to pick in the 24-31st range during any draft as long as they keep vying for another title. While they can draft a Jonathan Kuminga, they need to find the next Tyrese Maxey somewhere.
Think back to when the Lakers were transitioning from the Kobe era. They had Julius Randle, Kyle Kuzma, D’Angelo Russell, and Jordan Clarkson. Their future was set. But they traded them away and while a championship was won, they’re now facing the same issue the Warriors will be facing soon.
It was a great run. It was a Jordan-led Bulls run. It was a Magic and Kareem-led run. The Spurs Big 3 and Kobe and Shaq-type run. But everything must come to an end.
The Warriors have drafted young players but they haven’t turned out to be who they expected them to be. Maybe they are good but playing behind the likes of Thompson, Green, and Curry will have you questioning your own abilities. In no way am I saying tear it all down. I’m simply stating the past is catching up to the present and now it’s time to look towards the future.
As fans, we had to watch all the greats walk away. It’s a part of the game. They’re here and then they’re gone. It’s time to usher in a new era but for the Golden State Warriors, there may not be another 3 players walking this earth who can do what they did under the same roof at the same time.
